Thiruvananthapuram: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Monday registered two cases against former chief minister and opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T Veena, and her husband and former minister P A Mohamed Riyas over alleged CMRL-Exalogic pay-off and hawala transactions.The cases were registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act following a Kerala HC directive to register cases instead of conducting a preliminary inquiry. Both are based on findings and reports submitted by Enforcement Directorate (ED).Vijayan is the first accused and Veena the second in the first case, which concerns payments CMRL allegedly made to her company, Exalogic Solutions, during the first Pinarayi Vijayan govt. ED had alleged that the payments were made without corresponding services and constituted illegal gratification intended for Vijayan. The case also names seven others, including CMRL owner S Sasidharan Kartha.In the second case, Riyas is the first accused and Veena the second. It stems from ED findings that Riyas, tourism minister in the previous govt, had allegedly amassed illicit funds and transferred them abroad through hawala channels. The case names eight accused, including Riyas’s associates. The allegations and the role of each accused remain subject to investigation.The cases were registered by Vigilance Special Investigation Unit-I in Thiruvananthapuram. The HC order directing case registration reached vigilance headquarters on Friday evening. Vigilance director Manoj Abraham ordered the registration of the cases after examining the ED reports and the court order. The FIRs were registered on Monday morning, with the agency considering an appeal against the HC order. The alleged offences include amassing assets disproportionate to known sources of income, misuse of official position and criminal conspiracy under Prevention of Corruption Act.Meanwhile, the crime branch special investigation team has handed over relevant records, including statements from Riyas’s associates, to vigilance. With the alleged transactions spanning Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode, the agency is expected to form a special investigation team, and the vigilance director is likely to recommend its formation to the state govt.
